Wallabies defeat to the British and Irish Lions was devastating, says James Horwill

Updated
Sun Jul 07 09:26:06 EST 2013

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James Horwill said that the better team had won on the night after the Wallabies defeat to the Lions.

AFP, Greg Wood

Australia captain James Horwill has described his side's 2-1 series defeat to the British and Irish Lions as "devastating" and "a tough pill to swallow".

The visitors, who had not won a series since 1997, ran out record 41-16 winners in the decisive third test at Sydney's Olympic Stadium to end the 16-year hoodoo.

After just three points separated the two sides in the first two matches, the Lions built their emphatic victory on the back of a dominant scrum to join the hallowed tourists of 1971, 1974 and 1997 as series winners in the modern era.

Prop Alex Corbisiero, flyhalf Jonny Sexton, winger George North and centre Jamie Roberts scored the tries and fullback Leigh Halfpenny, named player of the series, added 21 points with his boot to give the Lions their highest ever tally in a test match.

I mean, obviously, it was a horrific start. They used their set piece to great advantage and once they had the momentum, they took their opportunities and they went back to set piece to punish us.

Robbie Deans

"Devastated," Horwill said when addressing the manner of the Wallabies defeat. "You don't get another crack for 12 years and there's maybe one or two guys in that dressing room that will probably get, maybe, if they decide to hang stay around, another crack.

"We had too many errors, mate, early on and we gave them a head start.

"We started the second-half like we wanted to start the game and then we let them get away with it and they were too good.

"You've got to give them credit, they played very well and they were the better team tonight.

"It's a tough pill to swallow because we didn't put our best out there.

"No matter what happens when you walk off the field you want to know you've given it your all, and tonight we didn't play as well as we could have and that's the disappointing part.

"The Lions were very good and they deserved to win tonight, and after two games that were very close it is disappointing we had a final scoreline that looked like it did."

Robbie Deans future in doubt

In recent weeks, much has been written about the future of Wallabies coach Robbie Deans and whether his tenure would last beyond the final Test.

Following last night's defeat, Deans himself admitted he was unsure about what the coming days and months would bring.

"You don't presume anything in this industry. Those decisions are made by others," he said.

When asked to assess the Wallabies performance he said: "I mean, obviously, it was a horrific start.

"They used their set piece to great advantage and once they had the momentum, they took their opportunities and they went back to set piece to punish us."

Lions secure emphatic victory

The Wallabies looked down and out two minutes later when winger Israel Folau, who scored tow tries on his debut in the first test, pulled up with what looked like a hamstring injury to bring Jesse Mogg on for his first test.

Instead, though, the home side managed to endure the remaining period with just 14 men - Sexton's missed dropped goal the only real threat - and started to put together some backline rhythm.

"Devastated. You don't get another crack for 12 years and there's maybe one or two guys in that dressing room that will probably get, maybe, if they decide to hang stay around, another crack.

James Horwill

Mogg's first burst up the middle was stopped by a brilliant tap tackle in open field from lock Geoff Parling but the Wallabies kept coming.

From a scrum just before halftime they finally made the breakthrough with O'Connor jinking past Sexton and taking scrumhalf Mike Phillips over the line with him to score.

Leali'ifano converted to leave the Lions with just a 19-10 lead at the break and the centre reduced it by six more points with two penalties in the first five minutes after the break.

A huge shove through tighthead Adam Jones gave the Lions regained dominance at the scrum and the Wallabies crumbled before it, allowing Halfpenny to extend the lead to 21-16 after 51 minutes.

Five minutes later and the Lions attacked up the left flank with Jonathan Davies releasing Halfpenny who got the ball back inside for Sexton to run round and score under the posts.

The slight fullback added the extras for a 29-16 lead and eight minutes later set up the coup de grace, slipping past Genia on the counter-attack to set North on his way for his second try of the series.

Halfpenny failed with the conversion - his only miss in nine kicks on the night - but it was made academic after 68 minutes when Roberts ran onto Conor Murray's pass at a great angle to cut through the defence for the fourth try.